Clamping apparatus

ABSTRACT

Clamping apparatus adapted for attachment to a mouth gag employed on a patient undergoing oral surgery to support surgical components, such as, an endotracheal valve or tube during oral surgery comprising forceps consisting of two pivotally connected arms each with forward curved beaks for pivotally gripping a jaw separating member of the mouth gag. Each forcep arm is provided with a clamping leg so that upon closure of the forcep arms, locking means are provided to hold them in closed position and support during surgery the surgical component between the clamping legs.

United States Patent 1191 Kessler l July 3, 1973 CLAMPING APPARATUS 3.550.584 12/1970 Ring 128/12 6l ,4) ll l97l E 2481 [76] Inventor: Joseph A. Kessler, 103 Morrison 3 7 I Sposno I HS Avenue Punxsutawney 15767 Primary Examiner-Donald A. Griffin [22] Filed: Dec. 30, 1971 Att0rney-Carothers & Carothers [21] Appl. No.: 213,901 i [57] ABSTRACT [52] U 8 Cl 24/81 HS 24/248 SL 128/ 2 Clamping apparatus adapted for attachment to a mouth 51 11n. c1. A441; 21/00, A6 1 1) 17/12 gag employed a Patient undergoing Surgery to [58] Field of Search 128/12 17 18 support surgical components, such as, an endotracheal 24/262 R glHs valve or tube during oral surgery comprising forceps PH H 8] 81 BICL slGs consisting of two pivotally connected arms each with forward curved beaks for pivotally gripping a jaw sepa- [56'] References Cited rating member of the mouth gag. Each forcep arm is provided with a clamping leg so that upon closure of 1 E PATENTS the forcep arms, locking means are provided to hold 670-023 3/1901, Jump 24/8l PA UX them in closed position and support during surgery the L 55 surgical component between the clamping legs. eng 1 i 1 3,503,396 3/1970 Pierie et a] 24/262 R X 7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Pmmrimuw ms 13,72,560

lu vE/u T018. 5 JosmHA/(Aisme CA @0 M564 (Mame/es H15 A Tram/6Y5 CLAMPING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to clamping apparatus for use in surgery to support or hold surgical components in their proper position during surgical procedures and more particularly adapted for attachment to a mouth gag employed on a patient undergoing oral surgery to support the endotracheal valve such as during the performance of a tonsilectomy.

There are many surgical procedures wherein'the surgeon requires the assistance of others not only to carry out the procedure, but also to handle surgical equipment and components. In many of such surgical procedures, it is necessary for such assistants to hold various surgical equipment or components in the area of surgical operation during a portion or in some cases during the entire'period of time necessary to complete the surgical procedure. The provision of the clamping device adaptable for holding such surgical equipment or components would be highly desirable since the assistance of another individual would not be necessary in the surgical procedure so that such an assistant could be rendering other useful services to the surgeon during surgery. By the same token, the hands of the assistant would be eliminated from the area of the surgical procedure, making it easier for the surgeon to perform the surgical operation.

In the case of a tonsilectomy, the surgical equipment used in such a surgery procedure includes a mouth gag in combination with an endotracheal valve and tube to provide the anesthesia after initial anesthesia procedure. It is the usual practice at the present time that the endotrachealtube be held in position during the tonsilectomy by the hands of an assistant holding the endotracheal valve It is important that the endotracheal tube is held in its inserted position so as to insure the tube does not come out of the mouth of the patient since it is quite difficult to reinsert the tube back into the mouth and throat of the patient after the tonsilec' tomy procedure has been started because of impairment of vision due to blood, etc.

Thus, for the sake of insuring no accidental removal of the endotracheal tube aswe'll as eliminating the need for an assistant during the tonsilectomy to hold the endotracheal tube into position which has disadvantageous features as previously explained, it would be highly beneficial to provide for some means for holding the tube properly into position, rigidly but quite adjustably, during such a surgical procedure.

The prior art does not provide for means to insure insertion of the endotracheal tube when a mouth gag is being employed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,513,835 shows the use of forceps for holding the tongue during artificial breathing. U.S. Pat; No. 3,550,584 shows a mouth gag provided with a groove in the tongue blade for the reception of an endotracheal tube. However, means are not provided for insured securance of the tube or for selective positional adjustment of the tube relative to the mouth during surgery.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of this invention is the provision of a clamping apparatus adapted for attachmentto a mouth gag employed on a patient undergoing oral suroral surgery. Such clamping apparatus is adapted to hold in a secure position the endotracheal tube and at the same time pivotally attachable .to the mouth gag so that it can be adjustably positioned not only on the mouth gag but also pivotally adjusted about during oral surgery by the surgeon if necessary.

Another feature of the present invention is a clamping apparatus adapted with two clamping features. The clamping apparatus is in the form of a forcep having two pivotally connected forcep arms, the forward ends of which are provided with curved beak portions for gripping onto the jaw separating member of the mouth gag. The other clamping provision is in the form of an outwardly extending clamping leg provided on each of the forcep arms so that upon enclosure of the forcep arms, the clamping legs can co-operatively support therebetween a surgical component. Closure of the forcep arms not only provides clamping action in connection with the clamping legs but also clamping action relative to the curved beak portions of the forcep arms.

Another feature comprising this invention is the provision of locking means to hold the forcep arms in closed position so as to adapt them for secure clamping position on the jaw separating member of the mouth gag as well as for securely supporting the surgical components such as the endotracheal tube or valve.

As will be noted, already known-surgical forceps can be utilized as a portion of the clamping apparatus of the present invention. Such forceps are shown on Page 1 10 of the 1963 Catalogue No. of V. Mueller & Co. However, in the preferred form, the curved beak portions are aligned in a plane parallel to the pivotal axis of the forceps so that the clamping pressure is applied in a direction also parallel to the pivotal axis of the forceps or along the length of the pivot pin.

Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the following description and claims.

The accompanying drawings show, for the purpose of exemplification without limiting the invention or the claims thereto, certain practical embodiments illustrating the principles of this invention wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation with the mouth gag together with the clamping apparatus comprising this invention applied to a patient.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the clamping apparatus shown in FIG. 1 with the forcep arms in open position.

FIG. 3 is a modified preferred embodiment of the clamping apparatus comprising this invention as at tached to one of the jaw separating members of the mouth gag.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the modified embodiment of the clamping apparatus as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a detail view of the forward portion of the forceps as shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 1, the patient 1, has been prepared for surgery with a cloth towel placed over the eyes of the patient.'The mouth gag 3 has been placed on the patient in order to hold the patients mouth in'open position so that oral surgery can be performed. The

, mouth gag 3 shown is the type quite frequently used gery to support a surgical component such as an endotracheal valve or tube during the performance of such today and is normally referred to as the Davis gag. The mouth gag 3 comprises the upper jaw separating member 4 and the lower jaw separating member 5 which are pivotally connected to each other at their ends andas indicated in FIG. 1 at 6. The extreme ends of the members 4 and 5 are each provided with the operating levers 7 which are used in adjusting the spreading of the members 4 and 5 which are-set into position by means of curve-shaped ratchet 8 and its keeper 10.

As previously mentioned, the inserted endotracheal tube 11 and its accompanying fitting and valve shown generally at 12 are usually held in the position as shown by means of the hands of an assistant to the surgeon. However, with the aid of the clamping apparatus 15, the endotracheal valve 12 and the accompanying tube 11 may be held in the selected position as demonstrated and shown in FIG. 1. The clamping apparatus as more clearly illustrated in FIG. 2 comprises the forcep 13 consisting of the forcep arms 14 and 16. The forcep arms 14 and 16 are pivotally secured by means of the pivot pin 17. The forward ends 18 of each of the arms 14 and 16 are provided with curved beaks 20 and as shown in better detail in FIG. 5, curve outwardly as indicated at 21 and then inwardly toward one another in opposed relation as indicated at 22. The other ends of the members 14 and 16 are provided with the conventional finger holders 23. Each of the arms 14 and 16 are provided with locking means in the form of the inwardly curved hook portion 24 which have a bevelled front portion 25 so that the hook portions 24 are operatively disposed with their bevelled portions-being engageable one on the other upon closure of the members 14 and 16 to cause their hook portions to become engaged one on the other. In this manner, the arms 14 and 16 of the forceps 13 are held in their closed position as shown in FIG. 1.

Each of the forcep arms 14 and 16 are provided with a clamping leg 26 which are preferably contoured into the cooperative contour or'shape of the surgical component to be held between the clamping legs 26. In this case, each of the clamping legs is provided with a curved portion 27 adapted to engage the cylindrical body portion 9 of the endotracheal valve 12. The inner surfaces 28 of each of the clamping legs 26 may be provided with a lining, such as coated plastic or rubber, to enhance the frictional gripping adaptability of the surfaces when engaging the endotracheal valve cylindrical body 9.

From the foregoing description, it can be readily seen that the clamping apparatus comprising this invention is quite suitable for use in combination with the gag 3 since the clamping apparatus 15 is quite readily set into position wherein its curved beaks are caused to clamp on to the jaw separating member 4 thereby holding the endotrachealvalve 12 and accompanying tube 11 in a position as shown in FIG. 1. However, at the same time, the clampingv apparatus 15 is such as to permit pivotal adjustment on the member 4 when desired, to adjust the position of the endotracheal tube 11 as well as permit adjustment along any portion or length of the member 4.

The clamping legs 26 are secured to the arms 14 and 16 by any suitable means such as welding, fusion or rivetmg.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a modified form of the clamping apparatus 15 with the modification being in connection with the forward ends 18 of the forcep arms 14 and 16. This modification together and in combination with the clamping apparatus define the preferred embodiment of the preferred invention.

Thus the clamping apparatus 15 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is the same as that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 except for the forward ends 18 wherein there is provided the curved beaks 28 which consist of the outwardly curved portion 30 and the outer ends which are curved inward as indicated at 31 so that the end portions 31 of the curved beaks 28 are in opposed relation. It should be noted that the outwardly curved portions 30 are curved outwardly in a plane parallel to the pivotal axis indicated at 17 whereas in the case of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outwardly curved portions 21 are curved in a direction substantially normal to a plane passing through the pivotal axis 17. Detailed explanation is being made here for the purpose to illustrate the fact that in the preferred form, when the forcep arms 14 and 16 are closed and locked in such position by means of the locking hooks 24, the curved beaks 28 of the forcep are brought into swinging and locking relationship around the jaw separating member 4 so that the bearing pressures as applied by the surfaces of member 4 and the inner surfaces of each of the curved beaks 28 is a separating pressure tending to force away from each other the forcep arms 14 and 16. Such force of course is to no avail in view of the securance by means-of the pivotal pin 17. However, the point to be made is that this force has no effect on the clamping ability of the clamping legs 26 when the forcep arms are in their closed and locked position. The same may not be true particularly after long use of the clamping apparatus 15 with respect to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein the clamping force of the end portions 18 is applied in a direction opposed to the direction of the clamping pressures as applied by the clamping legs 26 to support a surgical component.

The curved beaks 28 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 provide for pivotal action around the jaw separating member 4 while the clamping apparatus is maintained in secured position on the member. The clamping action provided on the member 4 is secure but yet light enough to permit adjustment around the member as well as along the member in properly positioning, for example, the endotracheal valve 12 and accompanying tube 11 to be held in the position selected during surgery.

I claim:

1. Clamping apparatus for attachment to a mouth gag to support surgical components during oral surgery comprising forceps consisting of two arms pivoted together with their forward ends each having a curved beak adapted to extend outwardly and thence inwardly in opposed relation, the rearward ends of said arms provided with locking means to lock said forcep arms in closed position and a clamping leg attached to each arm rearward of said pivot point and adapted to support said surgical component upon closure of said forcep arms.

2. The clamping apparatus of claim lcharacterized in that said-curved beaks are in a plane parallel to the pivotal axis of said forcep arms.

3. The clamping apparatusof claim 1 characterized in that said curved beaks are in a plane perpendicular to the pivotal axis of said forcep arms.

4. The clamping apparatus of claim 1 characterized by a lining provided on the inner surfaces of said clamping legs to enhance the frictional gripping adaptability thereof.

5. The clamping apparatus of claim 1 characterized in that said clamping means comprises oppositely opposed hook members one on each of said arms to engage one another upon closure of said forcep arms.

beak adapted to extend outwardly and then inwardly in opposed relation, lock means provided at the rearward end of said arms to lock said forcep stems in closed position and a clamping leg attached to each arm rearward of said pivot point and-adapted to support therebetween said valve upon closure of said forcep arms. 

1. Clamping apparatus for attachment to a mouth gag to support surgical components during oral surgery comprising forceps consisting of two arms pivoted together with their forward ends each having a curved beak adapted to extend outwardly and thence inwardly in opposed relation, the rearward ends of said arms provided with locking means to lock said forcep arms in closed position and a clamping leg attached to each arm rearward of said pivot point and adapted to support said surgical component upon closure of said forcep arms.
 2. The clamping apparatus of claim 1 characterized in that said curved beaks are in a plane parallel to the pivotal axis of said forcep arms.
 3. The clamping apparatus of claim 1 characterized in that said curved beaks are in a plane perpendicular to the pivotal axis of said forcep arms.
 4. The clamping apparatus of claim 1 characterized by a lining provided on the inner surfaces of said clamping legs to enhance the frictional gripping adaptability thereof.
 5. The clamping apparatus of claim 1 characterized in that said clamping means comprises oppositely opposed hook members one on each of said arms to engage one another upon closure of said forcep arms.
 6. The clamping apparatus of claim 1 characterized in that each of said clamping legs are contoured to grip and support said surgical component.
 7. Clamping apparatus for attachment to a mouth gag employed on a patient undergoing oral surgery to support an endotracheal valve and tube during such surgery comprising forceps consisting of two arms pivoted together with their forward ends each having a curved beak adapted to extend outwardly and then inwardly in opposed relation, lock means provided at the rearward end of said arms to lock said forcep stems in closed position and a clamping leg attached to each arm rearward of said pivot point and adapted to support therebetween said valve upon closure of said forcep arms. 